Chad Jennings has the day’s pitching and hitting groups. Everyone except Austin Romine (back) and Robinson Cano (death in the family) hit while only non-roster players and minor leaguers threw live batting practice. Ivan Nova will throw a bullpen session tomorrow in advance of Saturday’s start against the Phillies, and every other big league pitcher not named Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano will throw to hitters.

Speaking of Mo, he threw his second bullpen of the spring, roughly 30 pitches or so. He’ll do it again either Friday or Saturday. [Marc Carig]

Infielders worked on the double play pivot and relay throws while Tony Pena brutalized catchers with infamous pitching machine drill. He essentially simulates wild pitches by having the pitching machine shoot the ball directly at home plate from like, 10-15 feet away. [DavidWaldstein & Carig]

Russell Branyan is dealing with some back spasms, and it’s unclear how long he’ll be out. Kyle Higashioka hurt his shoulder during yesterday’s workout, though Joe Girardi said it should only be a few days. Nothing serious. [Mark Feinsand & Jennings]

Non-Yankee Injury News: Apparently A.J. Burnett fouled a ball off his face during bunting drills today and is headed back to Pittsburgh for tests on his right eye. Hope everything’s okay. [AP via FOX]

The Yankees are holding their annual team building exercise tomorrow afternoon, so today’s workout was the last full workout of Spring Training. The exhibition schedule starts on Friday. [Jennings]

Here is your open thread for the evening. The Knicks are the only local team in action, but you can talk about whatever your heart desires here. Go nuts.

Is the Tony Pena pitching machine drill even necessary now that AJ is gone?

Havok9120

Considering the defensive state of some of our lower level catching talent, they need all the help they can get.

Havok9120

It wasn’t so true today, but has anyone else noticed the general increase in comments on the various threads as we move along? One week the place was dead (seemed 30-40 comments was the best you’d do barring huge news like trades/Kuroda signing) and a week later we’re racking up 60-70 comments talking about Russel Martin’s value, V-tek’s retirement, and whether or not the 5th starter competition is rigged.

One more sign of baseball. I’ve just never paid attention to it before, probably because I’ve never been quite this stoked for baseball to start.

ThatstheMelkyMesaWaysa

I saw someone on a previous thread talking about Ibanez looking like Girardi, I didn’t really think anything of it until I saw Girardi, I mean Ibanez, talking to Chavez.

Havok9120

Yeah, its more apparent from the side. Voldemort still fits better though.

GardnergoesYardner

I can see Voldemort, but I thought the clear look alike was Jiminy Cricket. I’m pretty sure that comparison was in the NY Post during the 2009 World Series.

dc1874

A J must have it written into his contract..”.mandatory eye injury clause “or will not pitch..

Manny’s BanWagon

I don’t particularly like Wally Matthews and think he was a much better boxing writer from back in the day but he really killed it with this column on ESPN.

Thanks for the link. I don’t usually read his stuff as i feel most of it is hyperbole.

The last sentance is even better than the first line.

I NEED MOAR BASEBAL!!!!

Havok9120

Thanks for the link. Good read.

baravelli

I just thought I’d point out that the top headline at the moment on ESPN.com’s Baseball page essentially amounts to: “Extra, extra! Previously mentioned non-news story is not news!”

http://www.yankeeanalysts.com Mike E

Jim Bowden says the Braves want Nick Swisher next year, and the Yankees should sign Andre Ethier instead. Meanwhile Ethier’s bat is worse, his defense is MUCH worse, and I bet he gets a bigger contract. How was Bowden ever a GM?

Robinson Tilapia

He was paid to make personnel decisions then. He’s paid to now make statements like this that get people to talk, even if what they say in exchange is what you’re saying right now.

Jesse

He works for ESPN, what else do you think he’s going to say?

Mattchu12

You know that there will be a camp that will say Either’s bat will play better at Yankee Stadium, especially with the short porch in right field.

Still, I really hope that Swish takes a discount to stay or something because I think he is pretty underrated by most, mainly because they’re bitter about his showings in the playoffs the last couple of years.

It’s a big part of why I keep beating the dead horse about Chase Headley, I could see him back-up at 3B and the OF corners, and be an in-house candidate to replace Swish on the cheap. Love that bat, could see him put up similar numbers to Swish.

Plank

PMR for LF and RF came out. Gardner was by far the best LF on Earth (even that’s putting it mildly) and Swisher was a bit above average in right.

hard to believe AJ hitting himself is even a story. i mean, come on sports writers, you cant do any better than that?

Alfredo

Will the Yankees vs Red Soxs rivalry be reignited this year with a classic Yankee and Red Soxs brawl?

GardnergoesYardner

I could see it. My guess is if anything happened, it would be through Cervelli, as you saw in the Sept. series last year. Tex is another one who could get easily angered. On the Sox side, Ortiz and Youkilis could get something started.

It would be kind of cool to see, but our main focus has to be on winning. Let Valentine make himself look like the idiot.

(On a sorta unrelated note, I always LOL when Girardi gets fired up. It rarely ever happens but when he and Acta went nose to nose last year – priceless!)

YanksFanInBeantown

Cervelli will definitely start a brawl.

you know how excitable those latin players are

SevenAces

Is that you Salty!?

Jesse

I doubt it. With today’s game and all these players making loads of money, I would bet against it. But, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen for sure, though.

And though it’s fun seeing brawls from afar, I wouldn’t want to risk seeing one anyways because of the possible injury factor. Just imagine if someone like Cano or Grandy got hurt and missed a chunk of the season, or, really, anyone for that matter. It’d be stupid to see anyone get injured because of a stupid brawl.

gc

What rivalry?

Nick

anybody else watch the dallas v penguins game?

forensic

One man who’s not in the best shape of his life entering Spring Training? Billy Connors. Boy is he huge.

Midland TX

I heard that the infield drills included working on the flip play…wink wink snicker snicker chortle

Midland TX

Oh duh–it’s right in the Wallace Matthews piece. Glad to be the second-to-last person in on the joke, just before Bobby V himself.